How I did it: No-grains, no-sugar diet does trick

Irma Wethington, 57, was prepared for osteoporosis.

Knowing the risks of menopause, she began weight training in 2002 to build her bone mass at a time when women her age start to lose it.

At her annual physical in December she was surprised to learn that while her bones were in great shape, her cholesterol was not.

"That's when my doctor said 'You have to go on a low-fat diet and exercise more.' He said the goal for my triglycerides should be below 150 and mine was 312." Her LDL (bad cholesterol) which should have been about 100 was at 148.

"That was a scary thing. I wasn't to the point where I had to go on medication, but I didn't want to do that, so I got real serious about it."

Since she was already doing a group weightlifting program at SWAT Fitness, 6127 N. La Cholla Blvd., she decided to join its June nutrition and weight loss education series.

Weight Loss 911 taught her about nutrition, cardio exercise, reading food labels and overcoming emotional obstacles and plateaus. Ron Holland, owner of SWAT Fitness, also recommended she try a "no-sugar, no-grain" diet.

Wethington was apprehensive.

"I can't live without my tortillas, my sugar, my crackers or my bread," she said to herself.

Still, she gave it a try.

She continued weight training, added cardio two days a week and cut out refined sugars.

"At first it was hard, but now I have no problem with it." She gets most of her carbohydrates and sugar from fruits and vegetables.

"I eat plain yogurt with fruit or nuts in it, fresh fruit, and I love chicken. Before I knew it, I didn't miss it. The no-grain thing I had a little problem with. I could not give up my oatmeal." She switched to steel-cut and rolled-oats oatmeal instead of instant.

"You get used to it. It's really not that bad because you're eating often enough that you don't get hungry. By doing the no-grain, no-sugar thing, it's made me eat more fruit and vegetables, which is good because now I really like the stuff and I'm satisfied. I wasn't a big fruit eater and now I am.

Wethington lost 10 1/2 pounds, a combined 5 1/2 inches (from her arms, chest, hips and waist) and 1 percent body fat.

Her greatest achievement was bringing her cholesterol into normal range. Her LDLs dropped to 97, her triglycerides to 102 and her HDL went up, as it should, to 49.

"I am so happy. I am on track and I feel great. My readings are good, so why not continue?

"Your health is the most important thing, and I think once you start on that road to health, everything kind of falls into place."